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Welcome from Peg and Kath!

Welcome to the CreositySpace (formerly SmartKids NY) newsletter, our next step towards creating what we hope will be a dynamic STEM community between entrepreneurs, corporate catalysts, kids, educators, and parents.

We'll be sending out our newsletter every couple months or so, highlighting a new entrepreneur partner, simple STEM projects you can do at home or in the classroom, a kids' corner, and of course the latest news from CreositySpace!

For more information on what we're doing or new products we're offering, please visit our website at www.CreositySpace.com .

In the News...

Cool Kid IP Challenge: More than 130 grade 3 and 4 students from across the Capital Region of New York State were challenged to exercise their creativity by developing a business or product idea as part of the CreositySpace Cool Kid IP Challenge powered by AT&T.

The multi-week challenge was launched in 4 schools on October 13 and culminated in a live pitch competition on Dec 8 for the top three teams from each school. To find out more visit our Cool Kid IP Challenge webpage here.

Activity:

Make a mini-Hovercraft

What you need:

1 CD - a sports water bottle cap - strong glue - a balloon

What to do:

Glue the cap to the middle of the CD (over the hole). Make sure the cap is closed.
Blow up the balloon and slip it over the cap.
Place the hovercraft on a smooth surface and pop the cap

Record your observations:

- Why did the hovercraft move?

- Will it move when there is no air in the balloon?

- Can you describe what is happening?

- What if the cap is only half opened?

- Can you think of any improvements?

Kids' Corner

Guest Contributor

- Ella, grade 4, Seattle WA

Did you know that in computer language A = 01000001 and 3 = 0011? Computers can’t understand our language so they turn it into 0 or 1; this is called binary code. This is possible because computers are made of electrical circuits, and the circuits can only be on or off (1 or 0).

You can also say words! This is CAT: 01000011 01000001 01010100. I think binary code is cool because it can turn letters and numbers into 0 and 1, and computers understand that language.

Technology Highlight

CreositySpace welcomes PolyDrop to the CS community. PolyDrop has developed an innovative conductive polymer additive for coatings, textiles, floor and electronic applications. For example, industry coating additives, such as metallic based fillers and carbon- based nanomaterials, are typically highly colored requiring very high weight percent loading that can reduce the overall performance of the coating.

PolyDrop has created a non-metal, lightweight conductive polymer additive that can be put into existing coatings at a lower loading improving the performance of the coating. To learn more about PolyDrop and their polymer technology check out their website at www.PolyDrop.net .